Archive for the ‘Blog’ Category

The fabulous Julia Rios will be the new Uncanny Magazine Reprint/Poetry Editor starting with Issue 10!

Julia Rios is a Hugo Award-nominated editor and podcaster, plus a writer and narrator. She was a fiction editor for Strange Horizons from 2012 to 2015, and is co-editor with Alisa Krasnostein of Kaleidoscope: Diverse YA Science Fiction and Fantasy Stories, and the Year’s Best YA Speculative Fiction series. She is also a co-host of the Hugo-nominated podcast, The Skiffy and Fanty Show. And those are just some of her wonderful accomplishments!

We couldn’t be more thrilled to be adding Julia to our phenomenal team.

Happy New Year, Space Unicorns! We’re excited to see what 2016 brings, because 2015 was a fantastic year. We’re thankful for all the support and enthusiasm Uncanny Magazine has received, and while we have our personal favorites, we’d like to know which stories YOU loved from Uncanny in 2015.

The creators who come out on top in the polls will receive a snazzy certificate!

The start of a new year is always a good time to try new things, so in that spirit, you can now follow Uncanny Magazine on Instagram as @uncanny_magazine! To kick off our Instagram account, we’ll be highlighting our favorite quotes from Uncanny’s short fiction from 2015. Starting on Monday, January 11, we’ll post one quote per day on Instagram, Monday through Saturday. Be sure to check out Uncanny’s Instagram page to get “the whole picture.”

It’s the time of year when people post their year-in-reviews to remind voters for the different SF/F awards what’s out there they might have missed and which category it’s eligible in (especially for the Hugo Awards and Nebula Awards). This was the first full year of Uncanny Magazine (Issues 2 through 7). We are extremely proud of the year we had.

This year, Uncanny Magazine is eligible for the Best Semiprozine Hugo Award for the first time. Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas are also eligible for Best Editor (Short Form) Hugo Awards.

The stories listed below are eligible in either the short story or novelette categories of the SF/F awards. If you are a SFWA member nominating for the Nebula Awards, you can find eBook copies of these stories in the SFWA Forums.

As you may remember, one of the stretch goals for the Uncanny Magazine Year Two Kickstarter was a new webcomic feature. Each issue, the multi-talented Liz Argall will have a special Uncanny edition of her webcomic Things Without Arms and Without Legs where they react to a story in the current issue of Uncanny Magazine.

As many of you might recall, there was a promise on the last day of the Uncanny Magazine Year Two Kickstarter that if we reached all of our initial stretch goals, Uncanny authors Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone would create a Shakespearean Duel Video .

We expected some quoting as they sat at their computers. Nope. Max and Amal took it to another level, and BEYOND!

Space Unicorns, please enjoy the short film, Max and Amal Duel for Uncanny Reasons! With Special Guest Navah Wolfe!

Thank you to everybody involved in the making of this soon-to-be classic film.

I would like to build a world where our first thought about any given convention is “Yay, convention!” not “is this even remotely accessible for Caitlin?”

As many of you know from recent posts and Tweets, the World Fantasy Convention this year had another accessibility failure. Many of us have lost count of the number of times such a thing has happened with an SF/F convention. Though some conrunners are working towards improving this situation (Yay! — and SFWA even posted an accessibility checklist), others have decided it’s too expensive to make their conventions accessible, or that accessibility is “PC Bullshit.” (Michael found out over the weekend that was said at a regional convention’s board meeting recently.)

Accessibility is not PC Bullshit. It is the law in the United States, and it has been for 25 years.

We can and should do better.

All members of a convention should be treated with dignity. These are people— our friends, fans, and colleagues– who have the same right to an inclusive experience at these events as any of the other paying members. volunteers, or guests.

If conventions build this into their planning and budgeting from day one, this can and should happen.

The onus is on conventions to be accessible to all of their members, not for people with disabilities (and their caregivers, where applicable) to have to “figure something out” when conventions don’t consider accessibility to be as important as, say, registration or con suite.

Mari Ness posted a personal policy that she would no longer attend a convention unless certain things happen with accessibility at that particular convention. She worried at the end of her post that it will have no effect since she has a “very small voice.”

Let’s make that voice HUGE.

We (The Thomases) and Mary Robinette Kowal talked, and we think a similar pledge cosigned by the SF/F community is the best to see substantive changes with the convention community. This was the lesson shown by Veronica Schanoes’s and John Scalzi’s harassment policy pledge posts. Though things are still very much a work-in-progress, almost every convention now at least has a code of conduct.

We hope you will consider signing it. We understand if you can’t, but we believe that together we can make this happen. No hard feelings if you don’t, and thank you for the taking the time to read and consider it.

Within the past decade, mainstream media has embraced science fiction and fantasy, with the genre arguably at its most popular levels in entertainment. This popularity has inspired the theatre community, which has started to embrace its inner geek. From long–standing theater companies with extensive sets and elaborate costumes to independent groups of performers working with shoestring budgets, Chicago nerds and geeks are creating works for the stage that explore humanity through the lens of the supernatural and unknown, and celebrate geekdom in all its artistic forms.

Chicago, known throughout the theatrical world to be an artistic incubator, has been cultivating science fiction and fantasy theater for some time. Classic examples worth mentioning are Edge Theatre’s MacSith, a Star Wars themed retelling of Shakespeare’s Scottish play. Halcyon’s Theatre Company’s recent hit In Love and Warcraft explored the outlet of gaming and how avatars can mirror personal desires. The House Theatre’s The Hammer Trilogy created an original play of high fantasy, delighting audiences with an amazing story and dragon battle spectacle (including spectacular puppetry), and The Steppenwolf’s critically–acclaimed production of She Kills Monsters used the world of Dungeons and Dragons to explore family relationships, the creation of found-family, and understanding sexual orientation.

I have been privileged enough to be the Artistic Director of Otherworld Theatre Company, established in 2012 and dedicated exclusively to the performance of SF/F. Below, I have listed ten exciting new adventures that await the Chicago patron. Whether you’re a fan of off–Broadway musicals, opera, plays, or performance artists, if you want a night of SF/F storytelling at the theater, these productions are for you.

The Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s production of The Tempest has garnered critical acclaim for its unique presentation of this classic fantasy tale about vengeance, sorcery, and the mysteries of the human heart, using modern music as a backdrop. Shakespeare’s enchanted island is transformed in this inventive production from Aaron Posner and Teller (of the legendary duo Penn & Teller), utilizing the intimate setting of the Courtyard Theater. Larry Yando returns to Chicago Shakespeare to take on the role of the mysterious sorcerer Prospero, who conjures a storm shipwrecking his old enemies. Set to the music of Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan, with choreography by Pilobolus, this Shakespearean fantasy is truly full of “such stuff as dreams are made on.”

Madeline George (author of 2013’s hit Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England) spins a SF tale based on her 2014 Pulitzer Award finalist work exploring love, communication, and technology over the course of 150 years. Four constant companions—all named “Watson,” including Sherlock Holmes’s partner, the Mr. Watson often paged by Alexander Graham Bell in his famous (mis)quote “Come here Watson. I want to see you,” an AI, and a tech worker who may not be all he seems—provide the connecting thread through the 140–minute play. With three actors playing different versions of their characters across multiple time periods, the play makes for “a brilliantly witty, time–jumping, loving tribute (and cautionary tale) dedicated to the people—and machines—upon which we all depend.”

With the ALL GIRL PROJECT, the Chicago Mammals are committed to creating extreme and unique opportunities for Chicago actresses to play roles that are rarely if ever performed by women. In this exciting adaptation of the 1897 novel by Bram Stoker, Artistic Director Bob Fisher has turned the classic vampire story on it’s head: “Mina Murray is caught between a Carnivorous Ancient Evil and an Uncompromising Sadistic Zealot. Both Dracula and Van Helsing yearn for violence, even if their appetites are spurned by opposing goals. As she tries to protect the people she loves, will she be forced to decide which of these powerful villains is the lesser of two evils?”

Trap Door Theatre’s mission is to bring obscure and challenging works to life on stage. Now entering its 20th season, the off–Loop theater company brings a tale of rediscovering one’s roots in a foreign country—all while having to fight folktales and magic without a guaranteed happy ending: “When Annie is sent to Russia to be immersed into her native language and culture, she finds herself thrust into an enchanting post–Soviet world filled with new friends still fighting the witches, bears and evil stepmothers that haunted all of our childhoods. Set in a deceitfully glamorous post–Soviet Russia, Annie and her new friends must fight the villains of common folklore in a world where things might not end up happily ever after.”

The Steppenwolf for Young Adult’s production of George Orwell’s dystopian classic follows the success of last year’s Animal Farm. With a long history of creating productions geared toward bringing young audiences, families, and teachers into the theater world, 1984 utilizes a multi-media production to bring Orwell’s world of suspicion, totalitarianism, and rebellion to life: “Winston Smith works for the Ministry of Truth located in the nation of Oceania, part of a vast empire in a constant, shifting war against other superstates. Dissent is not tolerated (not even in thought), and Winston and his fellow citizens are under perpetual electronic surveillance by their ever-watchful ruler Big Brother. When Winston falls in love with a co-worker, their illegal affair pushes them to rebel and face the darkest and most dangerous corners of the regime.”

Playwright Stuart Bousel weaves a dark romantic tale in the gothic thriller “Gone Dark.” Within a society of vampire hunters, slayers are summoned from around the world to convene after the death of their leader: “Ned Dalton is tormented by his last hunt and haunted by foggy and untrustworthy memories. As events begin to unfold around him, he begins to realize the hunt may not be over yet and that the dead may indeed rise again.” Otherworld Theatre has tailored the production as a site-specific piece, incorporating the historic church serving as the play’s theater setting as the backdrop for the story. Audiences will follow a designated guide leading them through the narrative, allowing them to explore the vampire hunters’ society and watch the horror unfold, up close and personal.

Geek–themed circus and performance art shows have been growing in popularity in Chicago. As one of the first such Chicago–based performance groups, Raks Geek is bellydance, flow arts, and fire company established by geeks for any and all fans of geekdom. Performances have included everything from a bellydancing Wookie and stormtroopers to LED flow spinning and firespinning to the themes from Tron: Legacy, Transformers: The Movie and The Fifth Element. Using the backdrop of pop culture references, their performances have gone viral and made waves on MSN, The Daily Mail, and Cheezburger.com. The performers blend artistic and technical mastery with their favorite themes from nerd culture, resulting in performances that are mesmerizing to watch and a joy to behold. (Editor’s Note: Uncanny’s Managing Editor, Michi Trota, is a member of Raks Geek and will be performing in these upcoming shows.)

What happens when you take a troupe of improv comedians and put them on the “set” of the USS Sispyhus, a lesser–known Starfleet vessel? You’ll have to attend a performance of Improvised Star Trek to find out! After a successful initial run from 2009–2010 at the iO Theater, the comedians behind Improvised Star Trek retooled the show as a podcast, releasing two episodes per month. Now for the first time in five years, they’re back with live at the iO Theater for a limited time, with six Friday performances at the iO theater, beginning November 6. This show is a must for Trekkies and fans of SFF comedy.

Whether you camped outside a bookstore for three days awaiting the release of the Deathly Hallows or you don’t know the difference between a horcrux and a Hufflepuff, the comedy, magic and mayhem of Potted Potter: The Unauthorized Harry Experience – A Parody by Dan and Jeff makes for an entertaining and hilarious visit to the theatre. The fast-paced show, which has made audiences aged six to Dumbledore (who is very old indeed) roar with laughter all over the world, is perfect for the entire family. Created by former BBC Television hosts Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner, the play takes on the ultimate challenge of condensing, or “potting,” all seven Harry Potter books into 70 madcap minutes, aided only by multiple costume changes, brilliant songs, ridiculous props, and a generous helping of Hogwarts magic. The show also invites audiences to engage with a real life game of Quidditch, but according to Clarkson and Turner’s unique set of rules.

Ann Patchett’s best–selling novel Bel Canto took the literary world by storm—now, in a new work curated by Lyric’s creative consultant, Renée Fleming, this riveting story of magical realism inspired by a real-life event becomes a powerful opera: “Superstar American diva Roxane Coss has flown to Peru to sing at the vice president’s home for a visiting Japanese mogul who is an opera buff. Dignitaries of every nationality are there—but an international crisis explodes when terrorists storm the mansion and take everyone hostage. Isolated for months, unlikely alliances form between captors and captives as fear and anger mingle uneasily with desire and even love. Music is the one universal language—but can it draw forth the humanity that exists in us all?”

(Editor’s Note: This is the first in series of blog posts highlighting SF/F theater productions in various cities.)

All of the content will be available in the eBook version on the day of release.

The free online content will be released in 2 stages- half on day of release and half on December 1.

Don’t forget eBook Subscriptions to Uncanny Magazine are available from Weightless Books, and you can support us on our Patreon.

Great news! eBook subscriptions are also now available through Amazon! Have the new issue of Uncanny Magazine sent directly to your Kindle device!

This is the FIRST ISSUE partially funded by our Uncanny Magazine Year Two Kickstarter! Thank you so much to our Kickstarter backers, Patreon patrons, and subscribers. You make this magazine possible, you magnificent Space Unicorns.

Nonfiction
“The Call of the Sad Whelkfins: The Continued Relevance of How To Suppress Women’s Writing” by Annalee Flower Horne and Natalie Luhrs (11/3)
“Please, Judge This Book by Its Cover” by Aidan Moher (11/3)

As authors, it’s natural to be protective of our work. We pour our hearts into our words, and when someone comes back with a critique – even a solicited one – it can sting. There’s often an urge to puff up, get defensive, and say: That’s not what I meant, or You’re reading it wrong, or even simply, Youare wrong. However, there’s a stark difference between legitimate criticism and complaining for the sake of complaining, like those one-star Amazon reviews trashing a book because the customer didn’t like the box it came in, or the shipment arrived a day late. The best criticism is aimed at making a piece stronger, and it is worth listening to—especially when you are writing about a character (or characters) unlike yourself.

As a cisgender author writing about trans characters in The Ultra Fabulous Glitter Squadron Saves the World Again, I am sharply aware of the need to listen. Trans stories aren’t necessarily mine to tell, but at the same time, I don’t believe that means I should only write about people exactly like me. What it does mean is that I need to tell the stories that aren’t mine with as much respect and care as possible, and I need to listen when someone tells me I got it wrong. This holds true for all authors writing someone whose experience is outside their own.

It isn’t easy. There is no universal experience, no one true way to be trans, or male, or neuro-atypical, or anything. We are all human beings; we all have our own backgrounds and baggage and things that will strike a nerve. Something that makes me sit up and say: Hey, that isn’t me, you’re doing it all wrong, may reflect another person’s experience perfectly. Or it may not. The trick is to listen to what the people who might share common experiences with your characters that you don’t are saying to you about how they’re written, and try to understand their perspective.

As authors, we know words matter; we know stories matter. The stories we choose to tell, and the words we use to tell them are important. They carry weight. They carry an extra weight when it comes to stories that are already under-represented—stories about queer people, people of color, stories that have historically been pushed to the margins and ignored. Even though the culture is changing, it’s a slow change. There are few enough positive stories out there that the ones perpetuating negative stereotypes and tropes, or further marginalizing already marginalized characters, hurt even more.

I can’t promise that I got everything right in The Ultra Fabulous Glitter Squadron Saves the World Again. However, I can promise that I did my best to write my characters from a place of respect. And I can promise to listen when you tell me I got it wrong, and to try to do better the next time.

Now, to seal my promise with a toast, I’ll leave you with a cocktail recipe designed especially for Uncanny Magazine by the Glitter Squadron’s own bartender supreme, Sapphire.

From Sapphire’s Little Black Book of Cocktails

The Uncanny Unicorn (Shot)

1/2 oz Chambord

1/2 oz Pinnacle Rainbow Sherbet Vodka

1/2 oz White Creme de Cacao

Edible Glitter Garnish

Using a spoon against the side of a shot glass, slowly pour Chambord, Creme de Cacao, and Rainbow Sherbet Vodka to create a layered effect. Top with a dusting of edible glitter.

I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t normally create shots; I prefer to sip and savor my cocktails. But some cases call for it. The Uncanny Unicorn is an uncannily sweet drink, best enjoyed as a short, sharp shock, or a shot, as the case may be. Even in small doses, the Uncanny Unicorn might be enough to make you think you’re in space, even when you’re standing on firm ground looking up at the stars. The Space Unicorn Ranger Corp and the Glitter Squadron have a lot in common. They both kick ass and save the world in their own way—whether it’s with art, poetry, stories, and essays that set the way you see things askew in the best possible way, or whether it’s with sequins and high heels, both set out to shake up the status quo. And that is a something worth toasting. Cheers!